by Jacob Steenholdt
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Inspiration for Universe Searching
Through my workshops, many other artists have added layers of color or forms to this painting in its beginning stages. There were times I felt lost and without a clear plan of what I wanted this to become, but after months of working on the layers, I began to feel inspiration from an article I came across entitled “23 and Me”, which was about the human genome project. If you look closely at the center you will notice the 23 chromosomes. As the basis for this painting, I employed mathematics based on Fibonacci proportions and numbers to give structure to the circle of squares.
Artist’s Biography
15 years after graduating from Kendall College of Art and Design, I broke through the barriers of time and started to place consistent focus on creating art. The greatest success that I have achieved through my artwork has not come solely from painting and sculpting my own work, but through my efforts to encourage others to do the same. I offer painting workshops at my studio where I aim to share the joy of painting in an environment that is non-threatening and truly inspirational. Many who have taken the class now paint with me in the studio. We encourage each other and offer a community of support.
My inspiration to paint typically comes from browsing through science journals and reading about mathematics. I typically begin to paint with only the essence of the inspiration in mind and no particular plan. Friends or other painters in the studio are often invited to paint on my canvas in the beginning. As something emerges I run with it. In the latter stages I may use templates and lay in a mathematically formulated aspect to the composition. I experience more freedom with a palette knife and will often abandon my brushes. My favorite part of the work is getting lost in my creation and letting the paint lead me. If after a few weeks my eye can still view the entire work evenly without any feeling of unease then I consider the work complete.
